Gabe Gauthier, former DU standout and L.A. Kings forward, new head coach at Metro State

Gabe Gauthier played eight games for the Los Angeles Kings. Getty Images

Folks in Denver and Maine will never forget his goal. Sophomore Gabe Gauthier beat All-American goalie Jimmy Howard five-hole to ultimately give the Denver Pioneers a 1-0 victory over Maine in the 2004 NCAA championship game. Probably the best, most controversial game I have ever seen.

Disallowed Maine goal early in that absurd goalie interference era, when one skate in the crease at the opposite side of the goalie negates a goal. Gauthier’s snipe on Howard after accepting a pass from senior Connor James in the corner, just five weeks after James broke his leg in a league-playoff eliminating defeat to rival Colorado College. And a Maine player going in on a breakaway before “tripping” over the blue line — or the ghost of Keith Magnuson, who led DU to their previous national championship in the same city in 1969 and died in a horrific car accident at the beginning of that 2003-04 season. The year before Magnuson died riding shotgun with Rob Ramage, who was selected No. 1 overall by the Colorado Rockies in 1979, he attended/played in a DU alumni skate I had the fortune to participate in. I actually suited up from the first whistle on. Magnuson and fellow former Chicago Blackhawk great/best buddy Cliff Koroll joined us on the ice in the second period with skates, gloves and a stick — in dress clothes. Guys were shooting from the point or circles when Magnuson was playing D, and he was clearing guys out of the slot, laughing. I shook his hand after the skate and thought, “That’s the toughest man I’ll ever meet.”

Anyway, legend has it “Maggy” tripped the Maine player going on the breakaway on DU senior goalie Adam Berkhoel. And legend also says he was DU’s “fourth” player during Maine’s 6-on-3 power play in the waning minutes, and he — not star freshman Matt Carle — deflected a shot over Berkhoel on an open net when Gauthier and teammate Matt Laatsch had their eyes shut in the penalty box. I could go on and on about Maggy and what he means to DU and those players in 2004.

Gauthier continued a splendid college career, winning another national title as a junior and serving as co-captain with Carle as a senior, before signing with the Los Angeles Kings as an undrafted free agent. Howard, of course, is now minding the nets for the Detroit Red Wings and will likely represent Team USA at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Russia.

Speaking to the headline of this blog, Gauthier has accepted the head coaching position at Metro State, a club program that opens its season Sept. 20 at DU. He finished his pro career with the Denver Cutthroats last season. Gabe lit it up in the AHL for the Manchester Monarchs, played in All-Star games, and had a cup of coffee (eight games) with the Kings over two seasons (2006-07 and 2007-08). Gauthier, 29, met his beautiful wife Tammy in Manchester and the couple has a daughter.

Last story about Gabe: He’s from southern California, but played junior-A in Chilliwack, B.C. He went by “Go-Chay” from Day 1 at DU, but he grew up “Goth-E-er.” He explained the change during a crowded press conference at a 2004 NCAA Tournament regional in Massachusetts, saying something like “The PA announcer in Chilliwack asked me how I pronounce my name. I said, ‘How do you pronounce it here?’ He said ‘Go-Chay’ and I said, ‘Let’s go with that.'”